From Consumer.org.nz:
Taxpayers are unknowingly subsidising pharmacy prescriptions for tourists and international students possibly to the tune of hundreds of thousands of dollars, Consumer NZ has found.
Chief executive, Sue Chetwin, says many people in New Zealand on visitors or students permits are getting subsidised pharmacy medicines they're not entitled to. And the sums involved could be substantial. Last year, 173, 675 visitors' permits and 96, 473 student permits were issued.
Ms Chetwin says the problem stems from software designed by Medtech Global, which the company claims is used in 75 percent of primary practices.
General practitioners use Medtech's software to generate prescriptions for patients. But the software cannot identify non-residents who are not entitled to subsidised pharmacy medicines. It currently codes these patients as being eligible for subsidies.
The software fault means pharmacists filling prescriptions for visitors and students are charging them a subsidised rate. Pharmacists then claim the subsidy from the Ministry of Health. The problem also extends to lab tests. ...more
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Zealand. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Morning-after pills trial in second year
From the Waikaton (NZ) Times:
The morning-after pill has been free to Waikato women for the past year and the pharmacy trial was so successful it has been extended for another year.
This week, Auckland District Health Board decided to support a scheme allowing pharmacists to provide the emergency contraceptive pill to young women free, but it's not a New Zealand first.
In the Waikato, a pilot project allowing 3000 pharmacy consultations to supply the pill free to women under 25, was funded by Waikato District Health Board from April last year. The budget for the scheme was $90,000.
Waikato Community Pharmacy Group chief executive Cath Knapton said the scheme was not advertised but, through word-of-mouth, the number of morning-after pills being given out by Waikato pharmacists had increased dramatically in the past 12 months. ...more
The morning-after pill has been free to Waikato women for the past year and the pharmacy trial was so successful it has been extended for another year.
This week, Auckland District Health Board decided to support a scheme allowing pharmacists to provide the emergency contraceptive pill to young women free, but it's not a New Zealand first.
In the Waikato, a pilot project allowing 3000 pharmacy consultations to supply the pill free to women under 25, was funded by Waikato District Health Board from April last year. The budget for the scheme was $90,000.
Waikato Community Pharmacy Group chief executive Cath Knapton said the scheme was not advertised but, through word-of-mouth, the number of morning-after pills being given out by Waikato pharmacists had increased dramatically in the past 12 months. ...more
Wednesday, May 07, 2008
Free morning-after pill to go on trial
From the New Zealand Herald:
Auckland women are only a few months away from being able to go to their pharmacist and get free, unlimited access to the morning-after pill.
The Auckland District Health Board decided at a board meeting yesterday to support the scheme, detailed in the Herald on Tuesday.
Any woman, of any age, will be able to make use of the $300,000 scheme during its trial period.
The pills will be available to whoever has a need, and will not be restricted to limited numbers for each woman.
Women will be asked to provide some personal details when they receive the free pill from their pharmacist. Those details will be used to determine the success of the pilot scheme, and will not be placed on medical records. ...more
Auckland women are only a few months away from being able to go to their pharmacist and get free, unlimited access to the morning-after pill.
The Auckland District Health Board decided at a board meeting yesterday to support the scheme, detailed in the Herald on Tuesday.
Any woman, of any age, will be able to make use of the $300,000 scheme during its trial period.
The pills will be available to whoever has a need, and will not be restricted to limited numbers for each woman.
Women will be asked to provide some personal details when they receive the free pill from their pharmacist. Those details will be used to determine the success of the pilot scheme, and will not be placed on medical records. ...more
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